do you think he got into computers at a young age just to become very wealthy later or was he just simply interested in computers period and it wasn't just about becoming wealthy and making lots of money?
2007-02-20 01:32:01 · 12 answers · asked by yukmouth 6 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
He started out being interested in computers. What set him apart and made him rich was his ability to market software.
Mr. Gates did something that no one else in the business had ever done before. When IBM came out with their PC in 1980, he didn't SELL the operating system to them. He LICENSED it to them. He proposed that IBM would pay him a certain amount of money for every PC they manufactured, whether or not it had the PC-DOS (later called MS-DOS) operating system on it. The same held true of Windows later. Computer manufacturers had to pay Microsoft a sum of money for every computer they built, whether or not it had Windows on it. Microsoft dropped this licensing requirement as a result of a Justice Department antitrust suit some time ago, but that's what put them in the driver's seat of the industry.
The ironic thing is, MS-DOS, which started it all, wasn't developed by Bill Gates OR Paul Allen (co-founders of Microsoft). Instead, it was written by some teenager which Gates and Allen bought from him for a single payment of $50,000. Yeah, that's a lot of money, but they turned around and made millions from it.
Most of the good software that Microsoft comes out with was not developed by Microsoft. Rather, it was acquired by Microsoft, and then marketed by them.
This is not a criticism of Microsoft. If I could do the same thing Gates and Allen did, I'd do it too.
2007-02-20 01:43:22 · answer #1 · answered by Scotty Doesnt Know 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the late 60s/early 70s... no one got into computers to be wealthy.
2007-02-20 01:34:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say he truly enjoyed computers and technology, and still does.
I t just so happened that he had a hell of a nack for the business world.
Say what you want about Gates, but he is studied by business students now and 100 years from now he will still be studied by business & economics students.
2007-02-20 01:42:27 · answer #3 · answered by hxs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No man will have a goal on money can reach such a great position. So he would have started with his own interest on computers. By his hardwork and ofcourse by luck he came into this position.
2007-02-20 01:52:44 · answer #4 · answered by rani v 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I really don't think he thought that he would become a billionaire. Most likely he got into it because he love computer then saw it had potential.
2007-02-20 01:39:44 · answer #5 · answered by Tom Sawyer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look at him....he has the stereotypical look of a geek. I don't think too many people make as much money as he has just to make money, most of those idiots are doing time from their corporate scandals.
2007-02-20 01:39:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guess is that he just enjoyed computers. I find it hard to believe that he could have had any idea how much money that he would wind up making.
2007-02-20 01:36:13 · answer #7 · answered by Steve H 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think he would still be working with computers if it was about the money.
2007-02-20 01:35:12 · answer #8 · answered by ~J*me~ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I heard he actually just had good buisness smarts - he bought out companies and marketed them.. he didn't actually build the components himself.
2007-02-20 01:40:12 · answer #9 · answered by Midwest 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he is a computer nerd that bought a freinds program and made it his own.
2007-02-20 01:44:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋